Never Lose Hope
by Vaidhra
Summary: A short story I wrote from the perspective of Thane Krios inspired by the letter you receive from him titled, "Never Lose Hope." I had to write a short story with Latin phrases for my Latin 1 class, and my teacher let me submit a fanfiction. This is what I came up with.


**Author's Note:** This story isn't set anywhere particular in the ME storyline or timeline, or even on a particular planet. It's more of an abstract fanfiction, but I had intended it to be from Thane's perspective. The translations for the Latin phrases are at the end of the story. If you have any constructive criticism, I'm happy to read it. I always like to know what I can correct in the future.

* * *

_"No, please!" the short man cried hysterically. "Have mercy, assassin!"_

_I let him stare down the barrel of my pistol. "Mercy? Why would I show mercy to you?"_

_"Because…I know somewhere…you are kind-hearted! You could never kill a fly!"_

"Si vis me flere dolendum est primum ipse tibi,"_ I said, wrapping my finger around the trigger. _"Requiescat in pace."

_And I pulled the trigger._

* * *

I still remembered that day with perfect clarity. What I did on that day, I did _pro mundi beneficio_; I kept telling myself, though my heart spoke so differently. Everyone always thinks that assassins are nothing but cold-blooded killers, and while that may be true for most of our kind, some, however many few it may be, do feel remorse. I was one of those rare types.

It would not stay my hand from the trigger of my sniper rifle on this day, though. This man must die, even if it were to be the death of me. _Justitia omnibus,_ I told myself. _Justitia, pietas, fides._ This man had killed hundreds, so I would be the deliverer of Justice. I held no pity for him. As for my loyalty, it was to my own cause. To stem the tide of corruption from this world. I would be the only vanguard on this charge. Alas, _dum spiro spero._ Saying I wish to stem the tide is one thing. Doing it is another.

* * *

_"If you kill this man, all the world will be after you," she had told me._

_"Never lose hope, my love," I told her quietly. _"Ipsa scientia postestas est."

_"I know knowledge itself is power, but remember what I told you the first time I learned your trade? _Nemo est supra leges_. These men you kill are not above the law…but neither are you."_

_I kissed her softly on the lips. "I knew what I was getting into when I became an assassin. Goodbye, my love, my beautiful Anya. Should I fail…I will await you across the sea."_

* * *

I shook my head clear. Being able to remember every moment of my life with perfect clarity has served as not only a great gift, but also a curse.

I sat in the tall tower, watching the grounds below me. _Nothing_ would stay my hand. I took the M-97 Viper sniper rifle from my back harness, and I carefully rested it on the stone of the tower. I kneeled, positioning my rifle comfortably up against my shoulder. I then pressed a button on my thermal scope that would use a special laser, which was only visible through the scope, to allow me to line up the shot to my target.

The conditions were perfect. It was midnight exactly, and clouds covered both moon and starlight, meaning there was nothing to cause a reflection off my scope, thus giving away my position. Another phrase I learned in my line of work was _ex nihilo nihil fit._ From nothing comes nothing…

My target stepped out onto his luxurious balcony from his mansion. I instantly positioned my shot on him, wrapping my finger around the trigger and carefully stilling my breathing and heart rate. This was my only shot, and no doubt come morning, this tower would be fully guarded once more, and the new guards would discover what happened to the old…

Suddenly, a woman walked up next to my target, kissing him. Switching off thermal mode for a moment, my heart nearly stopped. It was Anya. What was she _doing_ here? I never told her where I was going…Unless…

I shook my head once again, to clear my thoughts. I was going to take this shot, and if my dear Anya had to die…

So be it.

I switched my scope back into thermal mode, and instantly became still. I pulled the trigger, the silencer blocking out the sound of the bullet, and watched as it flew through the air. Within mere moments, it hit my target between his eyes. A perfect headshot.

"_Veni, vidi, vici,_" I whispered to myself, lifting my head from the scope. "_Bellum longum…Consummatum est._"

When I looked back through the scope to see if any hostiles had appeared, I found a peculiar sight. Anya was gone.

Moments later, I heard the sound of a pistol clicking behind me. With absolute instinct, I stood up, drawing my own. Anya was holding me at gun point.

"_Ars est celare artum,_ it seems," I said to her. "How did you know I was here?"

"Because only you can deliver a sniper shot from half a mile away and make it between the eyes. You did me a favor on this day, my love. You killed the man who kept me from achieving my ultimate dream."

I started connecting all the pieces together. "You used me…"

She laughed wickedly. "Of course I did! And now, you're the only loose end for me to clean up."

She pulled the trigger of her pistol at the same time I did mine. Both our shots hit vital areas, and we both fell to the ground, taking in our final breaths.

"I'll…g-give you a…c-chance for redemption," I struggled to speak, while in my mind I recited a prayer for forgiveness.

"It…w-wasn't supposed to…end like this!" she cried. "They…t-told me so!" she paused, struggling for that final breath. "Do…you…f-forgive me…?"

"I do…_Requiescat in pace,_ my lo…"

I could not finish the word before my body succumbed to death's embrace.

I had succeeded in my mission in the short time I was given, but at the cost of two things…Love, and hope. I had told my once dear Anya to never lose hope…and yet…in death, until I was forgiven for my sins, I lost all my own.

* * *

Latin Translations

Si vis me flere dolendum est primum ipse tibi – If you wish me to weep, you must first feel grief yourself

Requiescat in pace – Rest in peace

Pro mundi beneficio – For the benefit of the world

Justitia omnibus – Justice for all

Justitia, pietas, fides – Justice, faith, loyalty

Dum spiro spero – While I breathe, I hope

Ipsa scientia postestas est – Knowledge itself is power

Nemo est supra leges – No one is above the law

Ex nihilo nihil fit – From nothing comes nothing

Veni, vidi, vici – I came, I saw, I conquered

_Bellum longum – _The long war

_Consummatum est – _It is finished

Ars est celare artum – True art is to conceal art


End file.
